Log loader



Dec. 5, 1961 s. s. MCINTYRE, SR

LOG LOADER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15. 1959 Lu w i Q NW gm N Dec. 5,1961 s. s. MCINTYRE, SR 3,011,651

LOG LOADER Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 610N127 5.M/HTYRE R flrralalv Dec. 5, 1961 s. s. MCINTYRE, sR 3,011,651

LOG LOADER Filed June 15. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet s I I v. a,lvllllllnvllllll, V l I I 1 I INV EN TOR.

510m: 'v M INTYRESR Us 5% ZTTOENE Dec. 5, 1961 s. s. MclNTYRE, SR

LOG LOADER Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Uted States Patent3,011,651 L6G LQADER Sidney S. McIntyre, Sn, Sedro Woolley, Wash,assignor to The Hum hoit Company, Seattle, Wash, a corporation oiWashington Filed June 15, 1959, Ser. No. 82ll,l.7 6 Claims. (Cl. 212-=7lThis invention relates to improvements in log loaders and particularlyto any of those motorized, mobile types equipped with a heeling boomfrom the outer end of which a logging cable may be payed'out forconnection at its outer end, to a log and the log then lifted, bywinding in the cable, and heeled against the boom for loading it onto acar or truck; such machines being typified by that of United Statespatent issued on May 15, 1956, under No. 2,745,559 to S. S. McIntyre.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a mechanismdesigned for its attachment to a log loader of the general character ofthat disclosed by the United States patent above mentioned, whichmechanism coniprises an extenda'ole and retractable arm mounted by theheeling boom, and equipped at its outer end with log gripping andlifting tongs and to which arm the logging cable or haul-in line is soattached that, after the arm has been extended and the tongs holdinglyapplied to a log, the log can be drawn in, heeled against the boom andloaded onto a truck without any material part of the load having to besustained by the extended outreaching arm.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachmentmechanism for a log loader of the character above stated, whichcomprises a trackway, that is fixedly secured to the heeling boom as aguide and track for supporting the inner end portion of the outreachingarm for its extending and retracting action.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide the extendableoutreaching arm with a swivel mounting or support at its outer end forattachment of the tongs; a pull cable for opening the tongs and novelmounting means for the outreaching arm that permits it to be adjustedlaterally at its outer end to dispose the tongs for easy application toa log that may not be exactly aligned with the boom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismthat permits the lifting, heeling and loading of logs thereby withoutrequiring the usual up and down adjustments of the heeling boom.

A further object of the invention is to provide the present log loadingmachine with a novel form or" guying tower and strap for additionalsupport of the boom that makes possible the handlin of logs of greaterthan normal weight and without causing damaging strain on the turntablemounting parts.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of aforwardly and downwardly inclined trackway for the outreaching armwhereby its outward adjustment disposes the log lifting tongs inposition for easy application to a log without dipping the healing boom.

Still further advantages of the present invention reside in the detailsof construction of its parts; in their functional relationship and inthe mode of use and opera.- tion of the machine, as will hereinafter bedescribed.

in accomplishing these and other objeots of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a mobile log loader equipped with a heelingboom to which the present attachment mechanism, including the trackway,the outreaching arm and guying tower, have been applied.

FIG. 2 is a top, or plan view of the extendable and retractableoutreaching arm and its mounting guideway 0r trackway; also indicatingtherein, in dash lines, the extending of the arm, and the lateralmovement or ad justment of its tong carrying end.

PEG. 3 is a side view of parts of the present attachment device showingthe means for and manner of mounting the rear end portion of thetrackway, and also showing the mounting of the rear end portion of theoutreaching arm for guided travel therealong.

FIG. 4 is a plan, or top View, of a portion of the trackway and endportion of the outreaching arm mounted thereon, as seen when lookingtherethrough the plane of line 4l4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4a is a detail of the mounting means at one side of the outreachingarm.

FIG. 5 is a side View of the outer end portion of the heeling boom andpartially retracted outreaching arm showing the attachment of the loglifting cable, or haul in line, and the log lifting tongs to the outerend portion of the outreaching arm. Also showing the tong opening cable.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 66 in FIG. 3at one side of the boom.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the outer end portion ofhe extendable arm, taken on the line 7- in H6. 2.

FlG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 in FIG. 5, and showingthe tongs in opened position.

FIG. 9 is a schematic showing of cables for controlling the action ofthe outreaching arm and tongs and haul in line.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the guying tower and theyielding brace frame structure as associated therewith.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of the upper endportion of the guying tower and its brace frame, looking through theplane of the line 11Zi1 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the lower end portion of the brace frameas seen in looking through the plane of line 12-12 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section taken on line 13-13 in FIG. 1, showing therelationship of the guideway rails to the heeling boom and therelationship of the side members of the outreaching arm to the boom andtrackway.

FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of tong line controlling drum andclutch.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In FIG. 1, I have shown a present day type of log loader, comprising amotorized and wheel supported base structure 1% on which an upper framestructure 12 is mounted for turntable movement by mechanism undercontrol of an operator stationed on said upper structure 12. The upperstructure 12 comprises a machinery mounting base or platform 13supported for rotative movement by a roller bearing mounting structure,designated in its entirety by reference numeral 14; this latterpreferably being in accordance with the subject matter of US. patent,issued under No. 2,838,183 on June 10, 1958.

Mounted on the platform 13 of the upper frame struc ture, by means oftransversely aligned horizontal hinge pins 15h, is the inner end of alog heeling boom 15 of typical construction, that is adapted to beraised and lowered under control of the operator by cable winding meanson platform 13 in conjunction with a cable system, designated at 16.This boom is equipped at the top side of its outer end in a suitable waywith the usual fairleader block 17 through which the logging cable, or

haul in line, designated by numeral 18, is extended, as presently morefully described. The boom 15 is here shown to be of an angular form andprovides that in the normal operation for loading a log, the inner endof the log is heeled against the under angle or under surface of theboom, as has been indicated in dash lines in FIG. 1.

It is usually the case, in the use of a log loader of this type, thatthe log lifting cable, or haul-in line 18, is equipped at its outer endwith a pair of tongs and these are adapted to be dropped directlydownward by the haul-in line from the fairleader 17 and are applied by aworkman to the selected log. Therefore, the working radius of a'machine, at any setting, is normally limited to the reach of the boom 15unless the cable and tongs are mechanically thrown out or are manuallydrawn out and the tongs carried to those logs which are normally beyondboom reach. Devices now known as slack pullers or cable throwers havebeen employed with some degree of success but their use has not yeteliminated the requirement of the tong setting logger. In view of this,it has been one of the primary objects of this invention to providenovel means for materially extending the working radius of machines ofthe above type. This present attachment means not only extends thenormal working radius of the log loading machine but also makes possiblethe loading of heavier logs and has made possible the elimination of atleast two workmen in normal log loading operations.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it is therein shown that a trackway isrigidly fixed to the outer end portion of the eeling boom and extendstherealong in a downwardly inclined relationship thereto. This trackway,or guideway, comprises coextensive, laterally spaced and parallel beams20-20 of channel-form, disposed at opposite sides of the heeling boom 15and fixed thereto with the channel sides facing outwardly therefrom, asshown best in FIGS. 6 and 13, to serve as guides, or trackways forsupporting rollers that are mounted by the inner ends of the oppositeside members of the outreaching arm, as will presently be explained. Theforward ends of these channel beams, 20-20, terminate closely adjacentthe fairleader end of the heeling boom and, at their inner ends,terminate slightly within the vertical plane of the hinged end of theheeling boom, as will be understood by reference to their showing inFIG. 1. I

The present outreaching arm, as associated with the trackway formingchannel beams 20-20 comprises an elongated rigid yoke like frame, asshown in FIG. 2, made up of paired and coextensive opposite side members22-22 of tubular form, which are disposed at the opposite sides of theboom 15 and guideway to extend therealong, and which are slightlydivergent from their inner to their outer ends and, at their outer ends,are each equipped with an inwardly directed portion 22a; these latterportions being rigidly joined together at their forward ends by a short,interposed box-frame 24 which is shown in FIG. 2 and also is seenenlarged in crosssection in FIG. 7. At their inner ends, each of theopposite side members 22 is equipped with a supporting wheel or roller25 which, as shown in enlarged crosssection in FIG. 6, is mounted forrotation on an inwardly and horizontally extending stub shaft 26 mountedby a plate or casting 27 that is fixed by a universal joint member 27 tothe inner end portion of the corresponding side member 22, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 4a. The two rollers 25-25, as applied to the opposite sidemembers 22-22, are mounted for travel along and within the oppositechannel beams 20-20 respectively, as in FIG. 6, for the extension andretractive movement of the outreaching arm; as presently explained.

At its outer or forward end, the frame comprising the outreaching arm issupported by the attachment thereto of the outer end of the haul-in ormain line 18; this supporting connection being well shown in FIGS. 1,and 7. In FIG. 7, it is shown that cable 18, as extending downwardlyfrom the fairleader 17, is formed at its end with a closed loop 18' thatreceives therethrough a cross-pin 29 which is fixed in and extendshorizontally between two laterally spaced arms or plates 30-30 that areformed with or are welded to the box 24 that is interposed between theforward ends of the parts 22a-22b. A pair of log lifting tongs 19 issuspended by the swivel 32 from the pin 29, as illustrated in FIGS. 7and 8, and thus the extending of the outreaching arm for application ofthe tongs to a log, as presently explained also pulls the haulin line orcable 18 outwardly therewith from its winding drum on platform 13. Thetongs are suspended from the lower end eyelet of the swivel 32 by aclevis 34, and linkage as shown.

To retain the outreaching arm and the supporting rollers 25-25 asmounted at the inner ends of side members 25-25 in proper relationshipto the beams, 20-20, each of the stub axle mounting frames or castings27 is formed at its forward and rearward ends with bearings 36-36 eachof which mounts therein a downwardly and inwardly directed stub ame 37on which circumferentially grooved rollers 38-38 are mounted for rollingtravel along the upper, inside corner edge of the corresponding beams20, as in FIGS. 4a and 6. These paired rollers 38-38 at each side of theboom coact with the corresponding intermediate roller 25 to retain theinner ends of the opposite side members 22-22 of the outreaching frameproperly supported from the channeled trackway rails or beams 20-20. I

It is also to be remembered that, as observed in FIGS. 4 and 4a, theinner ends of the side members 22--22 of the outreach frame arepivotally, attached to the frames 27, by the universal joints 27', thusto better permit the lateral play of the forward end of the outreachframe as presently explained, and which has been indicated in FIG. 2.

It has been shown in FIG. 1 that the inner end portion of each of theopposite side beams 20-20 of the trackway is rigidly supported from theboom by a three legged spider structure 39, as best shown in FIG. 3.These structures 39 are mounted on the top of the heeling boom, atdirectly opposite edges, at the junction of its angularly joined parts.The forward end portions of the two channel beams 20-20 are fixed to andsupported from opposite sides of the forward end portion of the boom 15by brackets 20' as in FIG. 13.

Assuming that the outreaching arm has been extended to a position as indash lines in FIG. 1 and the tongs 19 at its outer end have been appliedto a log for loading it; the log is then lifted by winding in the haulin line 18 in the usual way. By proper application of the tongs 19 tothe log, the log can be caused, as lifted, to be heeled in the angle ofthe boom 15 or seated against its underside and then raised to ahorizontal position for loading it onto a truck, or car. When properlyover the truck, the cable 18 is slacked off or boom 15 lowered todeposit the log. Then, the tongs are opened and the boom 15 swung backfor loading. The outreach arm is then caused to be extended, by cablemeans, presently described, thus to carry the tongs 19 and the cable 18outwardly for the lifting of the next log. While it is not generallyrequired that any upward or downward adjustment of the boom 15 be madefor this loading, it may be done if found desirable or necessary toaccommodate the tongs to the log or to accommodate the lifted log to thevehicle that is to receive it.

The releasing of the tongs 19 in this instance is accomplished by pullon a cable 40 that extends from a winding drum on the platform 13, alongthe boom 15, over a guide sheave or sheaves 41 at the outer end of theoutreach arm, and then attached at its end to one tong of the pair oftongs 19, as shown atr42 in FIG. 8. Winding in of this line 40 opens thetongs, and causes their release from the log. The tongs may be retainedin the open position of FIG. 8 until again properly positioned, by theextending of the outreach frame, for their application to a log.

The means herein employed for extending the outreach.- ing arm comprisesa cable 45 that is wound on and extended from a cable winding drum 46 onthe machine platform 13. This cable is usually the strawline of atypical yarder and is extended from the drum upwardly, over a guidesheave 47 at the upper end of the guying tower 48, presently to bedescribed, thence forwardly over and along the boom 15, at a point nearits forward end is joined, as at 48, in FIG. 9, with two cables 5il-50which extend, respectively, over sheave wheels 51'51 mounted on theupper end of an A-frame 52 that is erected on the outer end of theheeling boom, and from these sheaves extend downwardly and about sheaves"53 and 53 mounted on the boom in alignment with the forward ends of thetwo channel beams 2020, thence rearwardly through cable guides 54mounted in the forward ends of these beams, as seen in FIG. 5, along thearms 2-222 and are secured at their ends to the plates 27 and 27 at therear ends of the opposite side members 252'5 of the outreach frame. Thewinding in of the cable 45 on drum 46 causes the outreach frame to bepulled outwardly along boom 15, and, by reason of the attachment of thehaul-in line 18 to the outreach frame, the line 18 is simultaneouslypulled out therewith. Controlled paying out of line 18 establishes adesired or proper elevation of the outer end of the outreach arm andcontrols the placing of the tongs 19 in proper relationship for theirapplication to the selected log. During the operation of extending theoutreaching arm, the tongs may be retained in open position and ifnecessary may be easily and properly positioned relative to the selectedlog by whatever lateral adjustment of the outer end of the outreach armis required. The release of tension on the tong opening cable 46 permitsthe tongs to close over and be holdingly engaged with the log when themain line is wound in.

The lateral adjustment of the outer or extended end of the outreachframe in opposite directions is limited, and it is permitted by reasonof the universal mountings 27 at its inner end.

To adapt the present machine for the lifting and loading of logs ofgreater weight, the upper structure 12 thereof is equipped with a guyingand stabilizing mast or tower which has been designated generally, inFIG. 1, by reference numeral 48. This tower is shown in enlarged sideview in FIG. 10. It is of A-frame construction and its two legs arepivoted at their lower ends, by transversely aligned, horizontal pivots6161, to the rigid upper frame structure 13 as seen in FIG. 1. At itsupper end, the tower is equipped for the attachment thereto of guy lines63 which may be extended for anchoring at their outer ends to selectedobjects. The tower is additionally braced by an A-frame which, in FIG.10, is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 65.

This brace has the lower ends of its opposite side legs pivoted bytransversely aligned pivots 68 to the rigid frame structure 13, and itis inclined toward the upper end of the tower where it has pivotalconnection therewith at 70, as will now be explained.

Mounted lengthwise of and rigidly in the lower portion of A-frame 65, asshown in FIG. 12, is a hydraulic cylinder 71 containing a piston 72 fromwhich a piston rod 73 extends to the upper end of the A-frame 65 andthere slidably passes through a bearing 75, see FIG. 11, at its ends andis pivotally connected as at 76, to a collar 76 that is applied aboutthe upper end of tower 48. The cylinder 71 is filled with a hydraulicmedium which is regulated by pressure controlled valve means in itspassage from one side of the piston to the other. A tie strap or cable77 is connected to and extended from collar 76 to the outer end of theboom and connected thereto as at 78 to give the additional supportrequired for exceedingly heavy logs. When an extremely heavy log islifted, the guyed tower and the hydraulic cylinder yield to take upslack in the guying lines 63. Thus, the tower 48 may be inclined underweight of the log to or toward the dash line showing in FIG. 10 but byreason of the pivotal mountings of the tower 48 and brace 65', as at 61and 68, no twisting strain is transmitted to'the turntable mountingstructure 14 which supports the upper frame structure from the base,structure. The strap connection between mast 48 and boom, as shown inFIG. 1, in consideration of the hinging of parts 48 and 65 removes allbut the downed load from. the turntable.

In FIG. 14, I have lilustrated a hold and slip clutch means for the tongcontrol line 40. This comprises a small drum 80 on which line 40 isto beWound. This drum is operated in conjunction with the drum on which cable45, for controlling movement of the extendable arm,'is mounted. When thelatter cable is wound in to effect an extending movement of the arm, thetong line is permitted to slip. Then when the tongs are in position forgripping a log, the cable 40 is payed out from the drum 38 for closingthe tongs. The tong cable is then caused to be wound in in accordancewith retraction of the arm with the haul-in line so as not to releasethe log. It is shown in FIG. 14 that the drum clutch 81 is air operatedunder control of a manual valve mechanism 82.

I claim:

1. In a log loading machine, a boom, a fairleader mounted on the outerend of said boom, a trackway mounted on and extending along said boom,comprising a pair of laterally spaced channel beams fixed in parallelrelationship along the boom and outwardly faced, an outreaching armmounted by said boom for extension and retraction beyond the fairleader;said arm comprising a pair of laterally spaced opposite side membersjointed at their forward ends, a carrier means pivotally mounted by theinner end of each side member for travel along the corresponding channelbeam; each of said carrier means comprising a bracket that is pivotallymounted by its side member a stub axle mounted by and extended from saidbracket, an arm supporting Wheel mounted on said axle for travel withinsaid channel member between its opposite edge flanges, and a pair oftandem wheels mounted by said bracket and grooved for guided travel onand along the upper corner angle of the channel beam, a cable meansoperable from the machine for effecting the controlled extension of saidoutreaching arm, a log gripping means suspended from the forward end ofsaid outreaching arm, a cable winding drum on said machine and a loggingcable wound on and extending from said drum'through said fairleader andconnected to the outer end of said outreaching arm for its lifting andretraction.

2. A log loading machine comprising a platform, a gooseneck type boompivotally mounted at its inner end on said platform, a cable sheave atthe outer end of the boom, paired parallel side rails mounted in fixedposition on opposite sides of the boom, said rails being rearwardly andupwardly inclined relative to the normal loading position of said boom,a wheel carrier mounted on each rail for travel therealong, an outreacharm including spaced side members secured at one end to said carriers,log gripping means suspended from the free end of said arm, a cablewinding means on the platform, a cable extended from said winding means,over said sheave and secured to the free end of said arm and power meansfor extending said arm along said rails.

3. A loading machine as in claim 2 wherein said power means includes acable extending from said platform to the outer end of the boom andsecured to said carriers.

4. A mobilized log loading machine comprising a turntable platform, agoose-neck type boom pivoted at its inner end to said platform, a cablefairleader at the outer end of the boom, a trackway comprising paired,parallel rails fixed to and extending along the boom at opposite sidesthereof, an outreach arm mounted for travel along said boom, said armcomprising a pair of laterally spaced opposite side members, a wheeledcarrier mounted on each of said rails for travel therealong, pivotalmounting means for joining the rearward ends of said side members tosaid carriers whereby the forward end of said arm is laterally movablerelative to said. boom, the forward ends of said side members beingjoined forwardly of said fairleader, a cable winding drum mounted on theplatform and a cable extended from said drum through said fairleader andconnected at its end to the joined end of said side members for liftingand retracting said am, and cable means for effecting the controlledextending of said outreaching arm.

5. A 10g loading machine as in claim 4 wherein the rails terminate shortof the outer end of the boom and wherein the rearward end of the railsextend above and beyond the inner end of the boom.

6. A log loading machine of the character described comprising aplatform, a boom hinged to said platform at its inner end, a fairleadermounted on the outer end of said boom, an outreaching arm mounted bysaid boom for extension and retraction beyond the fairleader, loggripping means at the outer end of said arm, a cable winding drumassociated with the machine, a logging cable extended from the cablewinding drum, through said fairleader and fixed at its end to the outerend of the outreaching arms, means on the machine for eifecting thecontrolled extension of the outreaching arm, a tower hingedly mounted onsaid machine, guy lines attached to the upper end of said tower and atie strap extended from said tower to the outer end portion of said boomas a supplemental support therefor, and a yieldable brace means attachedat one end to said machine and at its upper end to the upper end portionof said tower to resist the pull of the load as applied through saidstrap, said yieldable brace including a hydraulic cylinder, a piston rodextending from the cylinder and having a pivoted connected with theupper end portion of said tower and valve means for regulating passageof hydraulic medium in the cylinder from one side of the piston to theother.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS271,537 Stone Jan. 30, 1883 444,367 Oliver Jan. 6, 1891 875,846 PetersonJan. 7, 1908 2,745,559 McIntyre May 15, 1956 2,876,920 Hellander Mar.10, 1959 2,878,946 Wirkkala Mar, 24, 1959 2,910,189 Scheuerpfiug Oct.27, 1959

